Engine starter



A rifi 2L 13& Y. SEKELLA 2,033,244

' ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct. 27, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 31 34 Z3 I NVENTOR v TOR/V15) April 21, 193

Y. SEKELLA I ENGINE STARTER Filed Oct 2'7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO/t jams s Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE STARTER Application October 27, 1934, Serial No. 750,309

7 Claims.

This invention relates to engine starters and more particularly to disconnectible gearing for cranking an internal combustion engine from a source of power such as an electric starting motor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel starter gearing of the type in which a pinion is manually shifted into and out of mesh with a member such as a flywheel gear of an engine to be started, embodying an improved connection for driving the pinion from the starting motor and permitting the pinion to overrun when the engine starts.

It is another object to provide such a device which is simple and economical in construction and reliable and efficient in operation.

It is a further object to provide such a device in which the driving connection is established positively but without shock.

It is another object to provide such a device which embodies provisions to obviate sticking or failure of the device to release.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention with certain parts broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the gearing and associated parts in the positions assumed when a tooth of the pinion abuts a tooth of the flywheel gear during the meshing operation;

Fig. 3 is a View generally similar to Fig. 1 showing a second embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3 showing the parts in driving position.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a starting motor I having an extended armature shaft 2, the outer end 3 of which is journalled in an outboard bearing 4 in an extension.5 of the motor housing. 7

A sleeve 6 is mounted on the power shaft 2 for rotation therewith but with freedom for longitudinal movement with respect thereto as by means of splines l and 8 (Fig. 2) formed on the shaft and sleeve respectively. A driving member in the form of a pinion 9 is freely journalled on the smooth portion ll of the power shaft for movement into and out of engagement with a member such as a flywheel gear l2 of the engine to be started.

Means for connecting the pinion 9 for rotation and longitudinal movement with the sleeve 6 are provided in the form of a cone clutch member [3 mounted on the sleeve 6, a cooperating cone clutch member I 4 and a barrel member I5 having a splined connection-with the clutch member M by means of tongues 5 on the clutch member which are slidable in slots I! in the barrel. Clutch member i3 is connected to sleeve 6 by inclined cam elements or threads 10. The barrel I5 is rigidly connected to the pinion 9 in any suitable way as by means of inwardly extending lugs 18 which cooperate with reduced portions of the pinion teeth, being held in position by spinning over the end of the pinion as indicated at [9.

A stop nut 2| is fixed on the end of sleeve 6 in position to abut the outer clutch member 14, and the inclination of the threaded connection between the sleeve 6 and inner clutch member i3 is such that rotation of the sleeve in a driving direction as indicated by the arrow a. causes the inner clutch member l3 to advance toward the stop nut 2| and thereby wedge the outer clutch member I4 therebetween.

The clutch members are yieldingly held in initial engagement by suitable means such as a light compression spring '22 mounted on the stop nut within the barrel. A thimble 23 (Fig. 2) with inwardly extending portions 24 is retained on the outer end of the barrel I5 as by means of a split ring 25 seated in an inner recess 26 at the end of said barrel, the thimble 23 being thereby so positioned as to engage the end of the inner clutch member I3. It will thus be seen that the expansive force of the spring 22 is transmitted through the barrel l5 and the thimble 23 to the clutch member I3 to cause initial closure of the clutch with a light pressure.

Manual means for shifting the sleeve 6 to move the pinion 9 into and out of mesh with the engine gear i2 is provided in the form of a lever 21 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 28 in the extension 5 of the motor housing and actuated by a link 29 from any suitable form of operating pedal, not illustrated. A shifting collar 3i is freely mounted on the sleeve 6 in position to cooperate with the lower forked end 32 of the lever 21, being retained on the sleeve by means such as a lock ring 33. Yielding means in the form of a compression spring 34 is providedfor transmitting the longitudinal movement of the collar 3| to the sleeve 6 through suitable means such as a thrust washer 35 bearing against a shoulder 36 formed by the end of the threaded portion of said sleeve.

An abutment 31 is formed on the upper end of lever 21 in position to engage a control switch 38 for the starting motor I when the lever 21 has been moved to cause the pinion 9 to mesh with the engine gear I2. It will be understood that in case of tooth abutment between the pinion and engine gear, the spring 34 is adapted to yield sufficiently to permit the starting switch to be closed by the lever 21.

The bottoms 39 of the slots I! in barrel I5, and the contiguous faces 4| of the tongues I6 of the clutch member I4 form cooperating abutments limiting the relative longitudinal movement of the barrel and clutch member, these abutments being normally held in spaced relation by means of the spring 22.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, rotation of the lever 21 by the operator in a counter-clockwise direction causes sleeve 6 to be moved longitudinally to the right in Fig. l, which motion is transmitted through the stop nut 2I and spring 22 to the barrel I whereby the pinion 9 is moved into meshing relation with the engine gear I2. Abutment 31 of lever 21 thereupon engages the starting switch 38 which causes energization of the starting motor I whereupon rotation of the power shaft 2 is transmitted through the splines I, 8 to the sleeve 6. The pinion 9 is initially held from rotation by its engagement with the flywheel gear, whereby clutch member I4 is held stationary by reason of its splined connection therewith, and the inner clutch member I3 is also kept from rotation by its initial frictional engagement with the cooperating clutch member I4 under the action of spring 22. The rotation of the sleeve 6 within the clutch member I3 causes the latter to be threaded to the right thereon. Since the outer clutch member I4 abuts against the stop nut 2|, the clutch members are forced into driving engagement to transmit cranking torque to the pinion. It will be understood that the inclination of the threads of the sleeve and pinion, and the angle of the cone clutching surfaces are so proportioned that the drive through the clutch is positive, although the establishment of the drive is without any substantial amount of shock.

When the engine starts, the acceleration of the flywheel gear I2 causes the pinion 9 and connected elements to overrun the sleeve 6 whereby the clutch element I3 is threaded back to the left, thereby relieving the closing. pressure on the clutch. In order to insure disengagement of the clutch members, the end or heel of the thread on the sleeve is formed as a flat abutment surface 42 which is struck by the end of the thread on the clutch member I3 causing the rotation of the clutch member on the sleeve 6 to be suddenly arrested, thereby jarring the clutch member I4 loose therefrom.

In case a tooth of the pinion 9 should abut a tooth of the flywheel gear I2 during the meshing movement of the pinion, as illustrated in Fig. 2, longitudinal motion of the clutch member I6 is arrested by the abutments 39, 4I, springs 34 and 22 are compressed and the inner clutch member I3 is pressed into the outer clutch member by the force of the spring 34. A driving relation between the clutch members is thus established which is sufiicient to index the pinion into proper meshing relation. Closure of the starting switch 38 thereupon causes such indexing of the pinion, upon which the spring 34 snaps the pinion 9 into mesh with the flywheel gear after which cranking takes place as usual.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the power shaft, sleeve, clutch elements, barrel and pinion are all similar to the corresponding elements illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and are designated by the same numerals. In this embodiment, however, the means for insuring initial engagement of the clutch members I3 and I4 is in the form of a spring detent ring 43 which bears frictionally on the periphery of the inner clutch member I3, and is non-rotatably connected to the barrel I5 as by means of a radially extending portion 44 of the spring extending into one of the slots I! of the barrel. A retaining member in the form of a ring 45 is mounted in the end of the barrel, being keyed to the barrel as by means of radially extending lugs 46 bearing in the slots IT. The ring 45 is retained in the barrel by the locking ring 25, with the inner portion of ring 45 bearing on the end face of clutch member I3. Rotary lost motion between the detent ring 43 and barrel I5 is preferably prevented by suitable means. Such means is here shown as a laterally extending portion 41 of a lug 46 on ring 45, which is arranged to enter the slot IT in which the part 44 of detent ring 43 is located and prevent lost motion thereof in the slot.

In the operation of this embodiment of the invention, starting with the parts in the position as illustrated in Fig. 3, rotation of the power shaft 2 causes the inner clutch I3 to be threaded along the sleeve 6 by reason of the frictional effect of the ring 43 which prevents the clutching member I3 from rotating. The spaces between the clutch members I3 and I4 and stop nut 2I are thus taken up, and the clutch member I4 is wedged between the clutch member I3 and the stop nut 2| to provide a cranking connection between the sleeve 6 and pinion 9. When the engine starts, the overrunning of the pinion 9 causes the clutch member I3 to be threaded back on the sleeve 6 until it strikes the heel 42 of the thread on said sleeve whereupon the clutch members are forcibly disengaged, and the pinion 9 is permitted to overrun: freely until the sleeve 6 is moved back to idle position by the shifting mechanism 21, etc.

In case of tooth abutment between the pinion and the engine gear I2 during the meshing movement of the drive, the longitudinal movement of clutch memer I4 is arrested by the abutments 39, 4|, and the clutch members are pressed into engagement by the force manually applied to the spring 34. When said spring has been compressed sufficiently to permit closure of the starting switch, indexing and meshing of the pinion 9 takes place, all as above described in connection with the first embodiment of the invention.

It will be understood that various changes may be made in the arrangements, proportions and design of the parts of the starting mechanism herein described without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starter a power shaft, a sleeve splined thereon, manually operable means for shifting the sleeve along the shaft, a member adapted to engage and drive a member of an engine to be started, and connections for shifting and rotating said driving member from said sleeve including a cone clutch member threaded on said sleeve, a cooperating cone clutch member and a barrel connecting said cooperating clutch member to said driving member for rotation in unison while permitting slight relative longitudinal movement therebetween; a stop for said second clutch member on said sleeve, and means including a spring within said barrel for holding said clutch members in engagement.

2. In an engine starter a power shaft, a sleeve splined thereon, manually operable means for shifting the sleeve along the shaft, a member adapted to engage and drive a member of an engine to be started, and connections for shifting and rotating said driving member from said sleeve including a cone clutch member threaded on said sleeve, a cooperating cone clutch member and a barrel splined to said cooperating clutch member and. rigidly fixed to said driving member; a stop for said second clutch member on said sleeve, an expansive spring within the barrel bearing on said stop, and connections for transmitting the force of the spring to said first clutch member to urge it into engagement with the cooperating clutch member.

3. In an engine starter a shaft, a sleeve mounted thereon for rotation therewith with freedom for longitudinal movement, a pinion freely journalled on the shaft for longitudinal movement into and out of engagement with a member of the engine to be started, means for transmitting longitudinal movement and rotation from the sleeve to the pinion including a cone clutch member threaded on the sleeve, a cooperating cone clutch member having a splined connection with the pinion, a stopon said sleeve adjacent said cooperating clutch member so arranged that rotation of thesleeve in a direction to cause cranking of the engine clamps said cooperating clutch member between the first clutch member and the stop, means for retarding initial rotation of the first clutch member, manually operable means for shifting the sleeve longitudinally, and means whereby obstruction of the meshing movement of the pinion causes the clutch members to be forced into driving engagement by the shifting movement of the sleeve toward operative position.

4. In an engine starter a shaft, a sleeve mounted thereon for rotation therewith with freedom for longitudinal movement, a pinion freely journalled on the shaft for longitudinal movement into and. out of engagement with a member of the engine to be started, means for transmitting longitudinal movement and rotation from the sleeve to the pinion including a cone clutch member threaded on the sleeve, a cooperating cone clutch member, a barrel member forming a splined connection between said cooperating clutch member and the pinion, a stop on said sleeve adjacent said cooperating clutch member so arranged that rotation of the sleeve in a. direction to cause cranking of the engine clamps said cooperating clutch member between the first clutch member and the stop, means in said barrel for retarding initial rotation of the first clutch member, and manually operable means for shifting the sleeve longitudinally, said second clutch member and barrel having cooperating abutments whereby tooth abutment between the pinion and engine member causes the shifting force of the sleeve toward operative position to close the clutch.

5. In a starter for internal combustion engines, a pinion adapted to engage and drive an engine gear, manually operable means for shifting the pinion into and out of driving position including a sleeve, a clutch member having a longitudinal cam connection therewith and a second clutch member nonrotatably connected to the pinion, said cam connection being so formed that rotation of the sleeve in the driving direction closes said clutch members, said cam connection having an abutment substantially normal thereto for suddenly arresting the overrunning of the first clutch member when the engine starts, in order to insure release of the: clutch.

6. In a starter for internal combustion engines, a pinion adapted to engage: and drive an engine gear, manually operable means for shifting the pinion into and out of driving position including a sleeve, a clutch member threaded thereon and a second clutch member non-rotatably connected to the pinion, said threads. being so formed that rotation of the sleeve in the driving direction closes said clutch members, said threads terminating in an abutment substantially normal thereto for suddenly arresting the overrunning of the first clutch member when the engine starts, in order to insure release of the clutch, and a frictional detent resisting initial relative rotation between said clutch members.

7. In an engine starter a shaft, a sleeve mounted thereon for rotation, therewith with freedom for longitudinal movement, a pinion freely journalled on the shaft for longitudinal movement into and out of engagement With a member of the engine to be started, means for transmitting longitudinal movement and rotation from the sleeve to the pinion including a cone clutch member threaded on the sleeve, a cooperating cone clutch member, a barrel member forming a splined connection between said cooperating clutch member and the pinion, a stop on said sleeve adjacent said cooperating clutch member so arranged that rotation of the sleeve in a direction to cause cranking of the engine clamps said cooperating clutch member between the first clutch member and the stop, a spring in said barrel bearing on the stop, and a thimble fixed to the barrel bearing on said first clutch member.

YOUS'I'ON SE KELLA. 

